When Kent Hughes started reshaping the Canadiens, the Mike Matheson deal looked like one more move in a busy rebuild. A few years later, it stands out as one of his cleanest wins.
Montreal landed Matheson and a 2023 fourth-round pick from the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 16, 2022, sending Jeff Petry and Ryan Poehling the other way. That fourth-rounder turned into defenseman Bogdan Konyushkov, adding yet another piece to the Canadiens’ prospect pool.
At the time, the reaction was split. Petry had been a dependable top-four defenseman in Montreal for years, and Poehling still had some believers who thought he might grow into a steady NHL regular.
The reality has been much different. Petry lasted just one season in Pittsburgh before moving again.
He even made a brief return to Montreal as part of the Erik Karlsson three-team trade, only for the Canadiens to flip him right away to the Detroit Red Wings for Gustav Lindstrom and a conditional fourth-round pick. Poehling’s path has been steadier, but also far less dramatic than once imagined.
After one year with the Penguins, he left in free agency, spent time with the Philadelphia Flyers and eventually landed with the Anaheim Ducks. He has built a respectable NHL career, but as a depth fourth-line forward rather than the impact player some once projected after his first career NHL game.
Matheson, meanwhile, has become exactly the kind of player Montreal needed. He is not flawless.
He can force plays, cough up the puck and take risks that leave fans groaning. But the Canadiens have kept leaning on him anyway, and for good reason.
He has logged heavy minutes through every stage of the rebuild, whether the team needed offense from the back end, a defender who could carry the puck through the neutral zone, or someone trusted in tough matchups.
That trust matters. Martin St.
Louis has repeatedly turned to Matheson, and his skating has remained one of the best weapons on Montreal’s blue line. He can slip pressure and help drive transition, which is a big reason he still matters even after the arrivals of Lane Hutson and Dobson.
His role may have shifted, but his value has not.
The trade also looks even better when you line up the assets today. Montreal got the most useful player in the deal, while Petry has bounced around and Poehling has settled into a bottom-six role. Hughes also timed the move well by getting Petry out before his value slipped even further.
That’s what makes the Matheson trade such a strong example of how Hughes has operated since taking over. He has not treated the rebuild as draft picks only. He has looked for ways to make the roster better now while still keeping an eye on what comes next.
Matheson fit that approach perfectly. He matched the timeline of the rebuild, but he was also ready to play top-four minutes right away.
That gave Montreal stability during the rough stretches and kept younger defensemen from being pushed too fast. It also helped create a veteran backbone on the blue line, with Hutson, Kaiden Guhle, Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj all benefiting from having experienced players around them.
The best part for Montreal is that the deal paid off twice. Matheson stepped in immediately and became one of the team’s most important defensemen, and he still remains a valuable piece now.
Petry and Poehling are both gone from the organizations they were sent to. Years later, the Canadiens are still cashing in on that decision.
In Other News...
Canadiens Face Growing Pressure With Zachary Bolduc Still Unsigned
With six restricted free agents still needing new contracts, the Canadiens have a few moving parts to sort through before camp pressure really starts to build. Zachary Bolduc is one of the bigger names in that group after his entry-level deal expired, and while the sides have not reached an agreement yet, Bolduc has said he is not worried about the delay. The situation has become one of the more closely watched items on Montreals offseason checklist because of what it says about how the club wants to handle its younger core.
Makar Khanins path is moving in a very different direction, but it also speaks to the development questions hanging over the organization. The prospect has now landed with AKM Tula Region in the VHL, his third team in seven months as he tries to steady his progression after a down year. For Montreal, it is another reminder that the roster conversation is not only about unsigned talent at the NHL level, but also about whether younger players in the system are finding the right environment to take the next step. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Linked To A Veteran Scoring Name Fans Never Saw Coming
A veteran scoring name has entered the Canadiens conversation in a way few would have predicted, with BPM Sports analyst Bruno Gervais floating Patrick Kane as a possible fit in Montreal. The idea is still just that, an idea, but it has enough intrigue to land because Kane is coming off a 57-point season in 67 games and still carries the kind of offensive touch that can change the look of a forward group.
For Montreal, the appeal is easy to see in broad strokes: a proven playmaker who could complement Ivan Demidov and help ease the pressure on a young talent learning the league. Nothing official has been reported, and there is plenty of distance between speculation and action, but the Canadiens have at least been tied to a name that would have seemed far-fetched not long ago. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Fans Wont Love Which Rival Is Circling Patrik Laine
Patrik Laines future in Montreal appears headed elsewhere, and the market around him is starting to take shape. Even after an injury-shortened season, the winger still carries the kind of reputation that keeps NHL teams interested: a proven scorer, a dangerous power-play presence and a player whose upside still matters to clubs looking for offense.
What makes Laine even more intriguing is the contract angle. Because he spent more than 100 days on the injured list last season, he is eligible for a performance bonus deal, which could make him a financially appealing swing for a team willing to bet on a bounce-back. The Canadiens may not love the list of suitors circling, but for now the bigger question is whether one of them decides the price is worth the gamble. [Read more 🡒]